WASHINGTON, Jan. 29, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the top leaders of The U.S. Conference of Mayors, President and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter, Vice President and Mesa (AZ) Mayor Scott Smith and Second Vice President and Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson released the following joint statement in reaction to immigration reform proposals offered this week by the President and a bipartisan group of Senators led by Arizona Senator John McCain and New York Senator Charles Schumer.

"There is some hope today that the broken immigration system that has slowed the economic and social progress of our nation and its people for far too long will be repaired.

"This week a bipartisan effort to break the political gridlock that has stymied reform has been launched. On Monday in Washington a bipartisan group of Senators announced a set of principles designed to guide reform.

"Today in Las Vegas President Obama discussed his principles for immigration reform and his intention to work with Congress on bipartisan legislation.

"Both are calling for further strengthening border security, creating an effective employer verification system, reforming the legal immigration system, and allowing the 11 million people residing in the country illegally to get right with the law and earn a pathway to citizenship.

"These principles are similar to those established in policy by The U.S. Conference of Mayors. We may not agree with every detail that is being proposed, but the important thing is that the conversation has begun in earnest.

"The nation's mayors intend to be a part of that conversation and to work with Congress and the Administration to see legislation enacted this year. We will be involved, as will our immediate Past President Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the Chair of our Task Force on Immigration Reform, Laredo Mayor Raul Salinas, and other mayors from across the nation. Together, we can push our national leaders to enact reform that is good for our families, our cities, our economy, and our country."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors is the official nonpartisan organization of cities with populations of 30,000 or more. There are 1,295 such cities in the country today, and each city is represented in the Conference by its chief elected official, the mayor. Like us on Facebook at facebook.com/usmayors, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/usmayors.